The present invention relates to novel methods for the extraction of herbs and plant materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to extraction methods for Echinacea. The extraction methods of the present invention provide a higher soluble solids content and a higher level of desired marker compounds, such as alkylamides, than conventional extraction procedures. Thus, the extraction methods of the present invention result in a greater yield at a lower cost from a given amount of starting material.
Typical processes for the extraction of nutrients from herbs use water or alcohol. In traditional processes, however, ambient temperature water or alcohol is generally used for the extraction. Typical processes involve taking the herb, milling it, and extracting the herb with alcohol and water at some strength of alcohol, generally 70% to 90%, for a few hours to extract soluble solids and nutrients.
Echinacea contains numerous active phytochemicals that have immunomodulatory and other beneficial activities. There is a long tradition of the use of Echinacea preparations in the adjuvant therapy of inflammations, skin damage, and, more typically, infections. The Echinacea plant is a popular herbal immunostimulant. The ability of Echinacea to stimulate the immune system in a nonspecific manner is exemplified in the enhancement of phagocytosis seen in cells treated with Echinacea (see, Sun et al., The American coneflower: a prophylactic role involving nonspecific immunity, J. Altern. Complement Med., 5(5): 437-446 (1999)). Echinacea""s immunomodulatory activity has been attributed to various actives, including alkylamides, phenolics, polysaccharides, alkaloids, glycoproteins, and flavonoids (see, Bauer, R. and Wagner, H., Echinacea species as potential immunostimulatory drugs, in Economic and Medicinal Plant Research, Ch. 8, p.253, Wagner, H. and Farnsworth, N. R. (Editors), Academic Press Limited, New York, N.Y., (1991)).
It is, therefore, desirable to develop more efficient and cost-effective methods of extracting nutrients from herbs such as Echinacea.
The present invention relates to novel methods for the extraction of herbs and plant materials. The extraction methods of the present invention result in greater yields at lower cost than conventional extraction processes.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to extraction methods that result in higher yields of soluble solids than conventional extraction processes.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to extraction methods that result in higher levels of marker compounds, such as alkylamides, than conventional extraction processes.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to extraction methods that yield material with better tableting characteristics than conventional extraction processes.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to extraction methods that are lower in cost than conventional extraction processes. The methods of the present invention result in better quality yields and higher yields from a given amount of starting material, thereby decreasing the cost of the final product.